Hart's, Nottingham

Address: Standard Hill, Park Row, Nottingham NG1 6FN.Reservations: Tel: 0115 988 1900; fax: 0115 947 7600; email: ask@hartshotel.co.ukWebsite:hartsnottingham.co.ukFirst impressions: A stylish new hotel in a quiet street near the city centre, on the site of the ramparts of the medieval castle. Small (32 bedrooms) but perfectly formed: light and bright yet cosy, friendly but still impeccable service.What are the rooms like? Medium sized, well designed; most have a view across the countryside, and the ones on the ground floor have full-length glass doors opening onto the gardens. Very good amenities, including workstations so discreet that the relaxed weekender wouldn't notice them. The bed: Ours filled most of the room; gorgeous linen and goose down pillows, and very comfortable. The bathroom: Bits and bobs from The White Company, good shower.The restaurant: The adjacent Hart's restaurant was voted Nottingham's best this year. Great service and good modern British cuisine: a rare beef salad, monkfish in parma ham, and inventive strawberry dessert with excellent wine came in at around £40 a head. Has a separate, if not extensive, vegetarian menu; lunch costs £14.95 for three courses.The bar: The small Park Bar is bustling as a chic early-evening cocktail lounge, and turns into a convivial and comfortable venue for lazy breakfasts reading the weekend papers. Also does very reasonable snacks. What is there to see within walking distance? It's five minutes from the centre of Nottingham - great for shopping, clubs and bars - and even closer to ye olde Notts, including the castle, museums and centuries-old pubs. The best thing: Pulls off the difficult feat of being spanking new and having a certain idiosyncratic charm. Lovely staff and disarming honesty: for example, the slightly baffling windows now have a small engraved sign saying "To open the window wider, please press the button marked 'press'," while the in-room literature admits "our windows are a little peculiar." The blurb is also confident enough to recommend Nottingham's "terrific array of restaurants to try", not just Hart's own excellent offerings. How much a night? £112 a double to £225 for a suite. Breakfast £8.50 for continental, £13.50 with the high-class fry-up.